As promised, I am ready to share my star trails. Attempting to produce an image of star trails is an endeavor based on hope and faith. Frankly it involves a lot of questioning myself about all the details too. Did I set the multiple exposure controls correctly: timing of shots as well as setting processing time between shots? Did I aim at the right direction in the sky, the North Star? Will any clouds hold off long enough for me to record at least 30 clear photographs, hopefully more?
In the days of film, photographs with exposures of perhaps 30 minutes or more were the way to go. The negative produced was then edited in the dark room resulting in the final image. I wasn’t photographing stars back then so I don’t know the details. Now, using a digital camera, a long exposure isn’t possible, as it would result in a grossly overexposed unusable image. I have to make multiple photographs and then blend the photographs together in a computer program to produce my final image that reveals the movement of the stars. (OK, OK, I know that the earth’s rotation is the real movement.)
In the days of film, photographs with exposures of perhaps 30 minutes or more were the way to go. The negative produced was then edited in the dark room resulting in the final image. I wasn’t photographing stars back then so I don’t know the details. Now, using a digital camera, a long exposure isn’t possible, as it would result in a grossly overexposed unusable image. I have to make multiple photographs and then blend the photographs together in a computer program to produce my final image that reveals the movement of the stars. (OK, OK, I know that the earth’s rotation is the real movement.)
 | I made this image over a month ago by combining 30 photographs taken over the period of about 15 minutes. It would not pass muster if I were a working to produce an image for even an amateur astronomer, but as an artistic rendering, I like it. When I look at it, I feel like I am seeing small part of the immense universe. My place in the universe may be miniscule and transient but I am a real living part of it nonetheless. |
This second star trails image is composed of 63 images, each exposed for 30 seconds. I made this photograph last week. I am pleased with both of these images. I hope you like them too. It was an exciting adventure to put myself out in the very cold night air in pursuit of an image that allows me to really appreciate the beauty and mystery in the repeating dance of the stars.
The second promise I want to keep is to share a better-processed Milky Way image. This second image is made from 4 photographs combined to produce this panorama. I made these photos last week while I was shooting the star trail photographs. It surpasses the quality of the Milky Way panorama included in my last blog entry because it lacks the visible blending lines of the former image. To view this image, imagine that you are fully reclined in a folding lounge chair. Now look as far back as possible over your head until you see the horizon behind you. Now slowly tilt you head as far forward as possible so that you can see the horizon beyond your feet. In this image, I have flattened out half the nighttime firmament beyond our planet. It is the same idea as having a flat map of our planet to show what really fits on a globe.
I would love to hear what you think about these images. I love nighttime photography, but sky photography is a new area for me. It won’t replace the landscapes that I dearly love, but maybe I will eventually try to combine the two.
When I was a child I remember my father pointing out the “Northern Lights” as well as the big and little dippers to me from our farm in NC. It is becoming more difficult to find places dark enough to allow theses views now. I just recently read an article that you might find interesting. It confirmed my difficulty in finding a location from which to see and photograph the stars.
I am really excited about this new, to me, area of photography. I welcome your comments!
Cheryl
When I was a child I remember my father pointing out the “Northern Lights” as well as the big and little dippers to me from our farm in NC. It is becoming more difficult to find places dark enough to allow theses views now. I just recently read an article that you might find interesting. It confirmed my difficulty in finding a location from which to see and photograph the stars.
I am really excited about this new, to me, area of photography. I welcome your comments!
Cheryl
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